After nearly 50 years in business, Peninsula Family YMCA is about to undergo a major overhaul.
All that’s needed now is the final $350,000 of an $8 million ongoing fundraising campaign.
Regarding the reasons for the update, Peninsula YMCA associate director Jason Milosh said it’s a combination of things.
“We’re in a 50-year-old building,” Milosh said. “We’re looking at a basic renovation of the main building we’re in containing lockers, some administrative space and a small multi-purpose room. We want to renew that space.”
The existing building is to be renamed the Ryan Family YMCA. Ryan came to San Diego in 1922 and made an immeasurable impact on the aviation industry. He and his wife Gladys also created the Ryan Family Charitable Foundation supporting over 120 charities.
The new Ryan Family YMCA will include: a 22,000-square-foot facility with expanded parking; a Child Discovery Center and outdoor play space; fitness studios; modern locker rooms and amenities; an enrichment program and event space; and a 3,200-square-foot rooftop deck.
Milosh said the improved Peninsula facility will really be special.
“We’re going to have a rooftop deck that overlooks the canyon,” he said. “We’re really excited about that, both aesthetically and operationally.”
Of fundraising for the renewal, Milosh said, “We’ve actually been in a capital campaign, in a silent phase, for the last number of years.”
Established in 1970, the Peninsula Y added a swimming pool fitness center and changing rooms in 1977. In 1987, a soccer arena was constructed. That was followed in 2005 with construction of a family picnic area next to the pool. In 2011, the Haas Family Gymnasium and Wellness Center opened for sports and exercise.
Peninsula YMCA released statistics showing 5,790 members are served between the ages of 5 months and 96 years representing diverse cultural backgrounds. One in 11 Peninsula households have a connection to the Y, which has a staff of 140 mostly young adults.
Courtney Bylund Pendleton of YMCA Public Relations and Communications talked about the bigger picture, of which the Peninsula’s upcoming improvements are a part.
“The YMCA’s vision is about serving more people, doubling our impact in the community,” she said. “The Peninsula’s new facilities, and renovation of existing facilities, is certainly a huge complement to that.”
Milosh discussed the timelines, and difficulties, involved in the renovation project.
“We’re planning on starting in early 2020,” he said. “It will be a 12- to 18-month project.”
“One of the challenges of doing a project like this, is to maintain operations while you’re going about doing improvements,” said Milosh adding, “It can get a little tricky.”
Concluded Milosh, “We’re really excited about doing an improvement project like this that comes around about every 50 years. “Hopefully, it is going to serve the needs of the community for the next 50 years.”
The Peninsula is one of 18 YMCA locations across San Diego County.

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Melissa Smith, from North Park, salutes the unofficial end of summer with a hula hoop dance at sunset near the seawall in Ocean Beach during the weekly Farmers Market festivities. THOMAS MELVILLE / PENINSULA BEACON

POINT LOMA LIBRARY ANNIVERSARY
Sept. 18 is the 16th anniversary of the Point Loma/Hervey Library. At 6:30 p.m. the band The Chimpos will perform. They are set to release another album soon. There will be refreshments served to celebrate.
ANNUAL SING-ALONG
Bodhi Tree concerts will present their annual sing-along tradition with Gilbert and Sullivan’s “The Pirates of Penzance” 4 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 22 at All Souls Church, 1475 Catalina Blvd. The profits will be donated to the Maritime Museum of San Diego,
CLASSICAL CONCERT
A classical concert – Quartetto Sorrento – will take place 7 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 21 at Point Loma Assembly, 3035 Talbot St. Attendees may enjoy Beethoven's String Quartet no. 16, Shostakovich's String Quartet no 6, and Hugo Wolf.'s Italian Serenade. The music is presented by Quartetto Sorrento: Ondrej Lewit, violin, Michael Dvoskin, violin, Paula Simmons, viola, Gordon Grubbs, violoncello. Call 619-788-7428 for tickets.
MARINARA & MUSIC
The PLHS annual spaghetti dinner fundraiser will take place 6-8:30 p.m. Friday, Sept 27 at UPSES Portuguese Hall, 2818 Avenida De Portugal. Tickets in advance or at the door
Proceeds benefit PLHS PA - Music Boosters.
ELECTRIC VEHICLE DAY
The annual San Diego Electric Vehicle Day – the largest test drive event of its kind in the region featuring the latest models of plug-in electric cars plus family-friendly activities – will take place at Liberty Station’s Ingram Plaza 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 14. Latest plug-in models representing more than a dozen automakers to fit every budget and lifestyle – such as Tesla, Jaguar, Arcimoto, BMW, MINI, Chevy, Kia, Nissan, Hula Multimodal and more – will be onsite for test drives and displays.
LA PLAYA TRAIL ASSOCIATION PRESENTATION
If you were among the many who missed the lecture on Louis Rose, take heed. La Playa Trail Association brings back author, historian, and Rose expert Donald H. Harrison for its Sept. 17 lecture.
Harrison, author of the book, “Louis Rose,” will speak on the 150th anniversary of Rose’s settlement of Roseville in Point Loma. Everyone is welcome with a suggested donation of $10 at the door at Point Loma Assembly, 3035 Talbot Street. Light appetizers are served 5:30 to 6 p.m. with the lecture at 7 p.m.
UPSES ASSEMBLY MEETING
The UPSES Inc. invites all Portuguese members of the UPSES, Inc. to a special assembly meeting at 7 p.m., Sunday, Sept. 22 at the Portuguese Hall, 2818 Avenida De Portugal. This meeting is to discuss issues with bylaws. Nonprofit lawyer Nikkie Semanchik will be in attendance to answer all questions and discuss with the general assembly why changes need to be made. For more information, visit upses.com.
CRAFT FAIR DATES ANNOUNCED
The Ocean Beach Town Council recently announced the fair dates for the Craft Fair as Sept. 21, Sept. 28, Oct. 5, Oct. 25, Nov. 16, Nov. 30, Dec. 7, Dec. 14 and Dec. 21. The Craft Fair will be held on the grass of the Veterans Plaza and will feature local craft vendors, a “Kid’s Corner” with activities and more. All proceeds support the OBTC’s Holiday Food Drive, Holiday Parade and Community Grants. For more information, visit oceanbeachsandiego.com/community-group/ob-town-council.
JONAS BROTHERS TO PLAY PECHANGA ARENA
Grammy-nominated multiplatinum powerhouse trio the Jonas Brothers recently announced the details for the 40-city “Happiness Begins Tour.” Nick, Joe and Kevin Jonas will hit the road, stopping at Pechanga Arena in San Diego on Thursday, Oct. 17. They’ll bring along with them special guests Bebe Rexha and Jordan McGraw.
SAN DIEGO NO. 5 CITY FOR FOOD LOVERS
San Diego has been ranked fifth in Yelp’s list of the “Top U.S. Destination for Food Lovers.” According to Yelp, the ranking was determined by comparing cities’ new restaurants, ratings, and reviews as well as cuisine diversity and the percentage of food photos.
Some of the dishes to note – according to Yelp – included Pork Belly Benedict at Werewolf in downtown San Diego, the Kimchi Dumpling Hot Soup at TastyPot in Kearny Mesa, and the Hot Chicken at Common Stock in Hillcrest.
San Francisco took the No. 1 spot, followed by St. Louis and Honolulu.

Brittany Merrill Yeng, co-founder and owner of Skrewball Whiskey, says her husband Steve has always had an affinity for two things: peanut butter and whiskey.
“He also has a gift for flavor profiles and mixology,” said Brittany, born and raised in OB. “His favorite thing to do is create unexpected combinations. And peanut butter is like his ketchup. He puts it on everything.”
That’s how Steve Yeng first came up with Ocean Beach’s trendy new drink – peanut butter whiskey. Brittany says she was actually sitting at the OB Noodle House Bar 1502, a restaurant started by Steve, when her husband first mixed the sweet and smooth drink.
“The peanut butter whiskey was something he created in house to really push whiskey at the restaurant and make it accessible to people,” said Brittany. “And it’s hard to find people who like whiskey who don’t also like peanut butter. That’s what I noticed was unique about this drink, that it draws all sorts of people to it. I saw an opportunity there.”
In July of 2018, Brittany began to build the Skrewball brand, designing the signature black sheep logo –representing peanut butter whiskey as an “endearing outlier” in the whiskey world – and sorting through all the legal “nuts and bolts.”
“The Skrewball name is one of our favorite parts about the business,” said Brittany. “It has the word ‘krew’ in it, albeit technically spelled wrong. Friendship and coming together is something that’s at the heart of the product itself. It’s about creating a ‘krew’ of both whiskey drinkers and wannabe whiskey drinkers.”
Skrewball Peanut Butter Whiskey is a 70-proof, vegan and gluten free beverage that smells like praline pecan caramel swirl ice cream and tastes like a liquid peanut butter cup. The drink was recently awarded a double gold medal for “Best Flavored Whiskey” at the 2018 New York World Wine and Spirits Competition, and won gold for “Best in Class” at the same year’s Los Angeles Spirits Competition. On their website, Skrewball gives recipes for Peanut Butter Whiskey cocktails, such as Salted Caramel Pretzel and Peanut Colada.
“We didn’t just slap a peanut butter label on a bottle, it really does taste like peanut butter,” said Brittany. “When people hear the name, eyes roll because they assume we’re following a trend. But once they smell it and try it, they really start to believe in the product.”
Now, whiskey fans from all over the U.S. are going to get the chance to taste and believe in peanut butter-flavored whiskey. Skrewball has partnered with Infinium Spirits to distribute their nutty nectar bottles nationwide.
While before it was impossible to purchase Skrewball Peanut Butter Whiskey outside the Golden State, in just two months the brand has expanded to 30 U.S. states and counting. Brittany says Skrewball plans to be available in liquor stores across all 50 states by the fall.
“We fully committed ourselves knowing Skrewball wouldn’t be an overnight success,” said Brittany. “But we’ve moved along faster than expected. It’s even been faster that what’s usually advised. Alcohol is primarily a local business but, as soon as we launched, people from all over the country reached out, thrilled that we had figured out a way to put their two favorite things together — whiskey and peanut butter.”
Because alcohol is regulated at a state level, Brittany says the process to expand Skrewball throughout the U.S. has been a trial. But local approval has been abounding.
Skrewball Peanut Butter Whiskey can be found at 50 locations in San Diego, including the OB Noodle House, Mothers Ocean Beach, Surf Lodge, and Wonderland Ocean Pub. More locations can be found on skrewballwhiskey.com.

Ocean Beach residents are becoming increasingly restive about proposed stairway and seawall repairs to restore Bermuda Avenue coastal access that some feel is long overdue.
The Bermuda staircase/seawall, which provides the only access to the pocket beach below, was damaged during winter storms in 2015-16. Subsequently, City staff closed the stairwell due to tidal action that eroded the lower stairway foundation causing the lower stairs to collapse.
The community was told then by the City that staff was working through the design and environmental process, and that a request had been made for construction funding for the Bermuda repair project from the Regional Park Improvement Fund.
Back then, OB was told the project “should be 100% funded,” and that a bid and award to a company, as well as construction, would each “take about three months.”
The projected timeline for having the stairway fully reconstructed was determined to be “late spring of 2018, if not earlier.”
Fast forward to September 2019, and the reconstruction project has yet to begin.
“I’m one of those people who feel it’s time to get the project started,” said OB resident Tom Roeber, who lives near the Bermuda stairs. “I’d like to see at least a temporary fix, simple stairs to get to the platform so people are not crawling down the cliffs and risking getting hurt. All you need is a stairway to go about 12 feet.”
OB Planning Board member Kevin Hastings, speaking for himself, agreed.
“They (City) spend years in the design of some of these projects,” he said. “When Bermuda (stairwell) collapsed in 2016, they got on it real quick. But it’s still in design.”
“The project is currently in the design stage, and we are estimating that construction would begin in the summer of 2021 and finish in the winter of 2021,” said City spokesman Alec Phillipp. “However, this is subject to change pending the design and required environmental review.”
The City has estimated that replacing the existing Bermuda stairway, and either repairing or replacing the existing seawall, would cost $1.5 million, $600,000 for construction.
The City added the repair project would also “provide a complete assessment of the factors causing and contributing to the failure of the stairway, with the aim of either repairing or replacing the structure as appropriate.”
The repair project also includes assessment of the adjacent seawall, given the two structures are connected, and the seawall has been undermined and repaired in the past, the City said.
“We all know people are going to use it (stairwell), so why not make it at least accessible?” asked Roeber.
“If they (City) give me permission, I’ll build it,” he quipped. “Hand me a few ladders — I’ll put them there.”
In Hasting’s view, the City’s summer construction moratorium, which forbids coastal construction work between Memorial and Labor days, ought to be waived for repair projects like that needed at Bermuda.
“What the summer moratorium means is that, when they finally get to work on this thing, the king tides and the waves come and you can’t build a beach-access stairwell,” Hastings said. “In the wintertime, it’s not gonna happen. They really need to make an exception to the beach moratorium for these things.”
Concluded Hastings, “People are getting impatient. It’s gone way too long.”

It’s that time of year again, where the jerseys come out, the beer mugs are filled and sports fans from all over San Diego shout loud and proud for their football teams at bar and grill flat screens. It’s an honorable tradition and a ritual. And where better to celebrate NFL season than beachside?
Pockets of loyal Patriots, Eagles, Chargers, Packers, Raiders, Dolphins fans and more can be found all over Ocean Beach and Point Loma. Here’s a list of some of the best sports bars (and their affiliated teams) to watch the NFL on the big screens, some of which are offering new drink specials and T-shirt sales.
Wonderland Ocean Pub
(Patriots and Panthers)
This beachside restaurant on 5083 Santa Monica Ave. is set-up for football fans. They have a surf ’n’ turf-inspired menu that features fresh ceviche, Baja shrimp cocktail and steamed mussels, accompanied by wines, cocktails with bacon and craft beers. There’s live music along with foosball tables, giant Jenga and plenty of TVs scattered throughout the pub. Patriots and Panthers fans are welcome, with Panthers shirts available for purchase at the bar.
Arizona Café
(Cardinals and Raiders)
For those on the other side, wanting to support the red-feathered mascot, Arizona Cardinal fans can find a home at the Arizona Café, 1925 Bacon St. Their $3 domestic drafts and friendly bartenders are welcoming features to this home away from home for Arizona fans. But Oakland Raiders fans call the bar’s front table "The Black Hole," and their Raider Nation flag is found there each week during the season.
OB Noodle House Bar 1502
(Seahawks)
Wings and fries are not the only fan foods cravings on game day. Sometimes, fresh spring rolls, fried dumplings and Skrewball’s famous peanut butter whiskey shots will hit the spot. Bar 1502, at 4993 Niagara Ave., has it all covered for Seattle fans who are looking to jump on the peanut butter bandwagon and find rare Seahawks camaraderie in SD.
Sunshine Company Saloon
(Raiders and Bears)
Celebrate each touchdown with pickle backs and gummies at the largest bar on 5028 Newport Ave. Sunshine Co. is so devoted to beer, even the urinals are made of beer kegs. Established in the ’70s, the jukebox keeps the bar true to its heritage, while still pacifying Oakland Raiders and Chicago Bears fans with their four pool tables and many large HD TVs.
Mother’s Saloon
(Patriots, Ducks and Chargers)
There’s not much more a football fan could ask for than 25 big screen TVs, traditional and boneless wings, nacho “supremes,” and parmesan beer-battered fries, not to mention their extensive craft beers on tap. The saloon on 2228 Bacon St. offers 50-cent wings and $10 Bud Light pitchers for big games. While Mother's bleeds green for Oregon Ducks on Saturdays, Sundays are for Pats and Chargers.
The Harp
(Eagles)
A home for Eagles fans and furry friends alike, bargoers can bring a canine companion to this dog-friendly Irish pub at 4935 Newport Ave. With award-winning food, live music and a 24-beer handle selection, all Eagle-raised pups will be celebrating NFL victories too.
Catalina Lounge
(Packers, Patriots)
The classic rock, cheap drinks and assortment of pool tables makes this cash-only dive bar at 4202 Voltaire St. a vintage hole-in-the-wall spot for a Green Bay “pack.” Bartender Anne’s delicious handmade Bloody Mary’s, several beer specials, and free hotdogs and chips on NFL Sundays keep the “Cheeseheads” happy. Oh yeah, Patriots fans are allowed as well.
Winston’s Beach Club
(Redskins)
This rad Redskins beach club keeps its energy just as high for football as it does for its live music features. Not only does Winston’s, at 1921 Bacon St., showcase the Redskins playing their NFC East rivals, but also hosts karaoke and even a Girls Night Out. Recognized as a music-fan bar, guests can expect just as much rowdy enthusiasm for Winston’s live bands as for the football games.
Raglan Public House
(Dolphins)
New Zealand-style burgers are another way to go for game day gourmet at this popular spot at 1851 Bacon St. Plus, Raglan’s happy hour offers half-off appetizers and $5 sangrias. It’s enough to make everyone a Miami Dolphins die-hard.
OB Brewery
(Rams)
Don’t think we left out Rams fans. This might be San Diego, but there’s a home for the other Los Angeles football here too. For Ram fans looking for a brewpub with a view, OB Brewery is an expansive brewpub for house-brewed beer in a soaring, three-story space, with a large rooftop patio at 5041 Newport Ave.
Dirty Birds in Liberty Station
(Ravens)
Dirty Birds, at 2970 Truxtun Road, is known for its variety of wings, burgers, and its 24 rotating draft beer handles. With 34 TVs both inside and outside, football fans can munch on award-winning wings and gourmet pizzas while watching the Baltimore Ravens.
Other, non-specific NFL team bars include Harbor Town Pub, Tilted Stick Bar & Grill, Goodbar, Oggi’s, Banzai Bar, the Reunion Pub, Pizza Port, Voltaire Beach House, OB Surf Lodge, Bayside Bar, Paradise Lounge and Grill, Tony’s Martini Bar, Buffalo Wild Wings, Lucy’s Tavern, and Fathom Bistro Bait & Tackle.

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